ReVAMPED
by crimsonsky132
Summary: One slight change can mean life or death to many, including our favorite Lost Boys. When Sam moves to Santa Carla, she'll be in for the summer of her life. Samantha Emerson restoration piece. Marko X OC
1. Chapter 1

Samantha Emerson was my first ever story on here, and my goal is make some restorations! It's been 5 years since the original was complete, and I'm taking the time to go back and clean up the story that started it all. With The Lost Boys making a reappearance on Netflix, I've been reliving some of my favorite parts of the movie, and I hope I can bring it to you!

I don't own any rights or characters aside from my Sammy, and without further adieu, let's get into this!

* * *

Chapter 1

 **Welcome to Santa Carla**

She didn't fit the mold, and her mother was hardly tolerant of change.

Even though she loved her mom, she knew Lucy wasn't perceptive through the divorce, and Michael stepped up big time. She started hanging out with her big brother, finding her time spent fixing up his bike, playing ball with the boys, running away from her life in Phoenix. Boy-oh-boy she could run, and run _far_. That led her to her decision - _rash_ , unfortunately.

She cut her hair.

"Samantha, what have you done?!" Lucy looked, and hair was everywhere.

Samantha had long flowing hair that draped down her waist. It was lighter than Michael's, and shone in the sun. Lucy loved it! She stood, looking at her daughter with horror; Samantha hadn't cut her hair in years. Her pristine hair was now messy and unkempt, chopping it to her shoulders. It was uneven and of novice skill, but she looked into the mirror with confidence.

Change was brewing. Summer was coming. They were moving.

* * *

Santa Carla was hot with the sun at it's peak, but the crowded car could care less as they stopped to stretch and grab lunch before the grueling start of unpacking. Michael stretched, showing off for the girls walking by and Samantha chuckled, jumping up from her seat.

"Oh, shove off Sammy." Michael grinned, pulling an arm around her as they walked to the stalls of boardwalk food.

"Stay close, you two!" Lucy spoke over the crowds, and she looked around the cluttered pier herself. Boy, times had changed. She grew up not far from here, and the crowd was much more rowdy than she remembered.

Regardless of the heat, the ocean breeze was a welcome change of pace, and the overcast coming in was lovely. Sammy and Michael enjoyed the chance to look out over the sand before heading back to the car. The drive to their grandfather's was also a pleasant one - far enough away from the noise of the boardwalk and away from the traffic of town. The dirt road made Michael smile under his shades, itching to get on his bike. Sammy looked out the window, but she grimaced instead. She spotted several horses on the property, and thought back to the time she was bucked off one as a kid. They crept to a halt in front of the elaborately decorated porch, covered from top to bottom in woodwork. At first, Sammy felt comforted by the cabin, and quickly changed her mind as she took in all of the animals. All of the _stuffed_ animals. Grandpa was well known for his kooky taxidermy in the family, but she had never seen it so close. As her eyes averted from a stuffed beaver, she quickly scanned passed - Grandpa! He was lying on the floor!

"Hey, mom? Take a look on the porch." Sammy pointed to the body. Lucy ran over to her father, stricken with fear.

"It looks like he's dead." Michael didn't know what to do. A moment later, a deep chuckle broke the silence.

"Ha ha! Oh, Lucy, I'm just playing dead, and from what I can tell I'm doing a damn good job of it too. Let me know you guys around." Grandpa took his sweet time getting up and brushing off his pants, saying his hellos.

"Oh dad, that was a mean trick!" Their mom laughed, trying to brush past her embarrassment.

After an extensive tour of the cabin home, Sammy tried to settle in. Contrary to what she had thought, her room thankfully wasn't filled to the brim with taxidermy. During the move, their mom won custody and ran. They didn't have a truck of furniture and clothes waiting for them, and Sammy was upset she had to leave a lot of her life behind. She did have a couple boxes of her favorite clothes, and after unpacking the crammed shirts, she tried to get the wrinkles out of her favorite one the best that she could. The breeze outside was wonderful, and she changed into a light sweater.

Trying to straighten out the shirt, Sammy walked out to the top of the stairs. Mike was talking to the "Old Fart" on and on about the supposed murder capital of the world. Grandpa had told them only to reserve that title for special occasions. Sammy peered over the stairs, trying to hone in on their conversation.

"Well, let me put it this way, Michael. If all the corpses buried here was to stand up all at once, we would have one hell of a population problem."

"But if that were the case, wouldn't more people be out looking for these missing kids? There were a bunch of posters down on the pier, Grandpa." Sammy chimed in from the top of the stairs. Michael nodded in agreement. Honestly, Sammy could care less. I mean, come on! Santa Carla, the murder capital of the world? -That kind of news would make headlines! Someone call the National Inquirer!

After unpacking, Sammy had trouble staying awake. The afternoon was creeping along, and she was so tired of moving boxes here and there, moving them when her mom found the perfect spot. That wasn't the worst of it though; Mike had brought his weights with him, and boy were they heavy. She slowly crept back to her room, kicking off her shoes, and plopped on the freshly made bed. Scooting towards the window, she cracked it open for some much needed ventilation, and before she knew it, she found her way to the pillows. They looked so inviting, and after all of the driving and unpacking, sleep came easy.

* * *

 _Knock knock_

 _Knock knock_

"Sammy?"

 _Knock knock_

"Samantha?" The sun was gone by the time that Lucy came up to check on her daughter, only to find her fast asleep on top of her covers. She leaned over the bed to close the window, the breeze picking up in the afternoon. The noise was enough to have Sammy stir, and after rubbing away the sleep from her eyes, she could focus on her mom.

"Well, good morning, sweetheart." Her mom spoke in the sing-song voice she used to joke. "I hope you're hungry, there's pizza downstairs, and I know that Michael is hungry." Sammy nodded, sitting up and rubbing her cold legs. "And he said something about heading into town! Maybe you'd like to join him." Her mom hinted.

"Thanks for the heads up, I'd love that." Sammy stood up, moving over to a box filled with her pants, and brought out a pair of jeans. "What do you plan on doing, Mom?"

"Well, I suppose I'll have to start looking for a job sooner than later. I'll check out the shops, but I'll try to catch up with Grandpa before I head out." Her mom smiled, and walking to the door, she stopped, turning back once more. "Hey Sammy?"

"Hm?" She hummed, turning to wait for her mom to continue.

"I know that it's been tough, with the _divorce_ and all, but I really think you're going to like it here. Santa Carla has really grown into its own, and I hope you feel comfortable when you're...growing into your own." She paused "I know it's been some time, but I'd love to help with your makeup, your hair, if you plan on going down to the boardwalk!"

"Mom, it'll be okay, I really don't need-"

"Come on, it'll be fun. We'll have some girl time, just like we used to." Sam looked up to her mom, whose expression was quickly breaking. To shine some light, Lucy had always wanted a daughter. She had always wanted the little girl to dress up, shine her brightest, look her best. Unfortunately, as Samantha had gotten older and her marriage fell apart, she pushed her kids away. She was hell bent on fixing the marriage, and seeing her mother in such a state, even far away from their dad, was unnerving. She caved.

"Then we better not waste any time." She smiled at her mom.

* * *

Not long after, Sammy found herself looking better than she'd ever admit. Her mom did great work, and looking in the mirror, her hair was full, lips were plump and stained, and her eyes popped. Even though the summer weather was comforting, she kept on her sweater and jeans, and slipped on her old pair of keds. Hearing a bike revving up outside, she sprang to life and rushed outside not to miss Mike. As she left the house she heard a cat call.

"Well, hey there pretty lady. I don't think you've seen my sister around here, have you? Similar height, but she's got nothing on you." Mike joked, trying to keep a straight face.

"If I do see her, I'll tell her to stay away. She must be _way_ out of your league." Sammy grinned, patting her brother on the back. "No hard feelings, haha." Her brother rolled his eyes, and they drove off towards the sights and sounds of town.

The live music could be heard from a mile away, and by the time the boardwalk was in view, the lights from the rides and games were blinding. Making their way through the concert crowd, Sammy took in the different types of people, young to old. It looked like an alien town, and everyone had wild piercings and clothes, and she felt out of place. She wasn't all ripped up, or what her mom would call _frizzy_. Everyone looked a bit frizzy, and she stuck out like a sore thumb. Even Mike, who had settled into the crowd, kept a protective arm over her. She looked up to the band and back to Mike, only to find him drooling over a gypsy in the crowd.

"Hey Mike!" She yelled over the crowd, even though she was right next to him. "Why don't you go say hi? It's not like she'll bite." he looked down to his younger sister in shock. Accepting the advice of his best wingman, he turned, scanning the crowd.

"Just meet my by the bike in a couple of hours, alright?" Sammy nodded, and Mike disappeared in the wave of people.

Finding herself drifting away from the music and closer to the games and shops, she felt small. She saw a group of older kids yelling and drinking, causing a mess, and they were coming at a b-line towards Sammy. Slipping into a shop off the main path, she pulled her sweater tight, and proceeded in further.

SANTA CARLA COMICS

Stopping in the middle of an isle filled with Batman comics, the hair on the back of her neck stood up, and she scanned the area. Two boys were watching her every move, and even though her body was screaming to get out of there, these kids couldn't be any older than fifteen. _'Play it cool, Sammy.'_ She thought, and walked over to them with a questioning look.

"Do we have a problem, guys?" She was still trying to figure them out. They looked to each other, and back to her. They both looked at her with judgement and caution, one wearing a greasy jumpsuit, the other sporting a red bandana.

" _No_." A gruff voice spoke.

"You're not a regular. You new here?" The other asked, his voice a lot less forced. Hesitantly, she nodded.

"Just got into town today, actually. My name's Sam." She planned on standing her ground.

"I'm Alan" The taller boy smiled. He held out his hand for Sammy to take and she willingly accepted. "And this is Edgar." He nodded towards the boy much more on edge.

"We're the Frog Brothers." Edgar added, his voice still much lower. "So, you've got a new perspective on the place. Notice anything...unusual about Santa Carla?"

"Edgar, don't scare her." Alan warned, casting a glance at his brother. Ignoring Alan's wishes, he motioned towards Sammy, expecting an answer.

"Everything's a bit weird. I don't know what to say. The whole place is a big change of pace. _I_ feel like a martian." Sam kept her eye contact with Edgar. She didn't want to blow her cool.

Snagging a comic off the shelf, Edgar shoved it in Sam's direction.

"Trust us, you'll need this." She glanced at the book, noting the childish title. _Vampires Everywhere_. The book itself was old and worn, the blue cover fading; they must have had it for a while. "It may just save your life." Sam's face dropped, and she looked at them with disdain. Sensing the tension, Alan stepped between them.

"Hey Sam, don't freak out, it's just a comic book. But there are some real characters out there. The boardwalk isn't a safe place, _especially_ at night. Here, take it, no charge." Alan was trying to mediate the tension without going into too many details, and Sam suddenly felt like she was in a good cop - bad cop situation.

"Hey look, I appreciate it. But I didn't bring a bag, and I'd much rather not carry it around all night. I'm happy to come back for it." Edgar and Alan shared a cautious look, and after a moment of contemplation they nodded. Sammy handed Edgar the comic, and headed towards the front of the store. Even though they acted like they were mad Rambo characters, they seemed quite sincere. Somehow, she didn't want to let them down. Turning, their eyes were still boring into her, and she spoke up again.

"If I can get a ride, I'll swing by around noon tomorrow." She smiled, and they nodded together. As she turned she heard them talking about something of _'distractions against the enemy'_ and _'truth, justice, and the American way'_ , or something like that. Shaking her head she left the shop for good.

She found her way back to the concert, letting the music distract her from the Frog Brothers and their comics that could "save lives". Swaying with the beat, she started down a long set of stairs, noticing that time wasn't on her side. She had to get back to Mike! Not registering the last step was lower than the rest, Sammy found herself falling face first towards the concrete, and she braced for the impact. She didn't have the time to make a sound, but much to her surprise, she stopped falling in a quick rush. Strong arms circled her, and without a beat she looked up to see a stranger holding her tight. A stranger on the boardwalk stopped to help her! She gripped his arms for support, and they stood up together. With her eyes scanning up, she took in the long curly locks framing his face, and she was _breathless._

He looked at her in awe, and she looked at him the same way. He was a beautiful stranger, with his eyes, bright against the lights on the boardwalk. They must have been blue, or maybe grey? It didn't matter and Sammy was captivated, looking up at him like he saved her from the grave concrete danger. His eyes were curious, his cheeks were red, and slowly his lips turned from a cocky grin to a low, almost shy smile. He looked at her the way that all girls want to be looked at. Slightly stunned himself he took in her darker eyes, cheeks red with embarrassment, and her lips were slightly agape in awe. Slowly coming back to her senses, Sammy realized just how close he was to her rescuer. A musky smell lingered on his jacket, which was adorned in bright but scratchy patches, and she realized his arms were still around her. He must have realized the same, and took a small step back, giving them both some needed space.

"Thanks for the help. I...I didn't even see the step." She was stuttering, impressed that she had found words at all!

"Anytime. I'm glad I was there." He smiled, almost a cheshire grin forming. His voice was without fault, and he spoke with such a smooth confidence. Sammy almost melted to a puddle, and was just shy of openly gawking at him. She...was almost hypnotized by the way he was looking at her, and it was something that she had never experienced by, well, anyone. Clearing her throat, she tore her eyes away from him to grab hold of reality, and let out a more mellowed breath.

"Thanks again," She began, trying to form a cohesive sentence. "I better get going. With this being the _Murder Capital of the World,_ a girl can never have enough mace." She joked, turning to walk away. The man raised a brow as she turned.

 _Nothing will hurt you on my watch._

Sammy furrowed her brows, looking to see if anyone had spoke. He grabbed her arm lightly, stopping her in her tracks.

"I'm sorry, but…" he began "are you new around here?" Smiling slowly, Sammy nodded at him.

"It's my first night here in town. I used to visit as a kid, but now it's on a full time basis." She didn't know why, but she wanted to tell him more, and now she was kicking herself for telling all of this to a complete stranger.

"That's...oh, really?" He spoke quietly, and seemed to slowly dissociate. He was deep in thought for some time before speaking again. "Well then, I guess I'll be seeing you around. I'm Marko, by the way." He grinned down to her, straightening out his jacket. Marko, _Marko_.

"My name's Sam." She grinned. "I'll see you later." Turning and walking away, Sammy found herself carefully walking back up the stairs, gushing about her curly haired rescuer. Marko. By the time she had made it to Mike and the bike, she was beyond grateful for the bright lights to mask her blushing.

"Any luck with that girl?" She asked her brother, trying to clear the fuzzy thoughts in her head. Mike shook his head like he had brushed it off, and mounted the bike, Sam soon after. "There will be more nights to try, bud. Maybe she'll come around." She hugged at his back, and found herself going back to thinking about her own time on the boardwalk; her thoughts drifting back to Marko more often than she'd like to admit.

* * *

I'd like to approach this as a restoration piece, trying to capture what my goal was when I started Samantha Emerson 7 years ago. Thanks for the love and support, and I'd love to hear from you! What do you think of this idea? I'm so excited to be back!

Best wishes, Crimsonsky132


	2. Safety First, Frog Style

Thanks for the incredible feedback in chapter one! I hope this chapter helps you through your hump day, and that the Frog's can help you survive through to the weekend.

* * *

Chapter 2

 **Safety First**

Marko was lost in thought, sulking away from the crowded beach.

 _Nothing will hurt you on my watch._

Why would he say that? Why would he risk her hearing him? What was he thinking?! He shouldn't have put himself at risk, especially in front of a crowd! Who the hell was she anyhow? _Sam_. Damn she was beautiful; she stole his attention far across the boardwalk. He didn't mean to follow her, but he caught note of how sweet she smelled walking out from the comic shop. He was keeping an eye on the Surf Nazi's, and completely lost his focus. He was engrossed. His face scrunched up...he _wouldn't_ make the same mistake as David. There would be no point trying to invest in a human; it's better just forget about her, all it would lead to is trouble.

 _"Marko it's feeding time. Where are you? The surfers are on our turf."_ Marko could hear David talking in his head, and he seemed more impatient than usual.

 _"Cool it. I'll catch up with you guys soon."_ He made his way through the crowd, popping the collar of his jacket against the breeze.

* * *

The sun peeked through the curtains at just the right angle to shine bright in Sammy's face, causing her to groan. After a moment, she realized she wouldn't be able to sleep any longer, and turned towards the door, slowly blinking her eyes open. The clock read 10:30. After realizing she slept the morning away, she stretched, and made her way to a half unpacked box of clothes, throwing on a hoodie over her thin shirt. Pulling open the bedroom door, Sam was knocked back by the overwhelming smell of pancakes and bacon. Mom must have made breakfast! Rushing down the stairs, she spotted Mike and Grandpa fighting over the last of the pancakes.

"Over my dead body, kiddo."

"Alright old fart, that can be arranged!"

Sammy took the opportunity to run over to the table and snatched the pancake off Mike's plate, too quick for him to notice.

"Looks like there's nothing to fight over now, boys." She winked, taking a bite. Syrup ran down her arm and both Mike and Gramps snickered, finishing up their plates. "Where's mom?" Sam inquired, pouring a cup of coffee.

"Well Lucy got lucky last night, and managed to woo herself a job. She started bright and early this morning." Grandpa smiled.

" _Damn_." She cursed under her breath, just loud enough for Mike to hear. There goes her chance of heading to the boardwalk.

"Why? Do you got a hot date today?" He smirked, raising a brow. She looked back to him with a grin of her own.

"A _double_ date actually. A girl and her comic books, and her brother finding his _mystery_ girl." she quipped back, wiggling her fingers at the word mystery.

"Make that a triple date. I'm seeing the Widow Johnson tonight, and I don't want you two going out of your way to ruin it." Grandpa chimed in. Sammy chuckled, and Mike rolled his eyes.

"Then we better get ready." Mike concluded.

Mike and Sammy fought over the conjoined bathroom, but managed to scramble and get ready for the beach. It was much warmer out than the day before, and Sammy decided on sporting a pair of denim shorts and a loose t-shirt, a red bathing suit underneath. Mike went for a more rugged look with dark jeans, dark glasses, and a ripped crop top.

"Damn bud, you're hopping on the frizzy train today." She joked, poking fun. "Those wild Santa Carla girls will be all over you."

"Tell me about it, killer." He responded, trying to sound as cool as he could. Sammy commended his efforts, and at a quarter after noon they were off.

* * *

"Now, do you want to spread out and look for clues?" Mike joked, parking the bike. Sammy was caught up in the sights and didn't hear him, looking out to the open water. The beach was alive with families, and kids were running around left and right. The boardwalk shops were bustling, and the lines for the rides could be seen a mile away. He nudged her shoulder. "Sammy?"

"Hm?" She smiled, turning back to him. "Oh, that's okay. Go find your girl. I'm old enough to stay on my own right now." She confirmed, and he nodded.

"I think Mom's off at 8:00, otherwise meet me here at 5:00." She nodded, and they headed in opposite directions down the boardwalk.

It took less time for Sam to find the comic shop than she thought it would, and it too seemed busy in the bustle of the day. Two older folks were tending the shop; it must be their parents. Turning around a corner, she took note of a familiar face, and picked up her pace.

"Hey there, Alan! Are you missing your other half?" Sammy smiled. His eyes widened for a moment, almost in shock, before he mimicked her smile.

"H-hey there, Sam. Wow, I didn't think you would come back." he admitted. "And Edgar ran out to grab us some lunch." Sammy let out the tension she didn't know she was holding in her shoulders. Rambo Jr. wouldn't be popping around the corner anytime soon, and it settled her. Alan was much more approachable. Breaking her from her thoughts, he spoke up again. "Hey, I'm sorry about yesterday. Edgar's not really a _people_ person, and I thought we scared you off."

"It's alright, _vampire boy_ , it's going to take more than that to scare me." She grinned, but Alan's smiled faltered. He scratched the back of his neck, trying to find a way to change the subject. "And I'm sorry to butt into your business," She started again, "but I do have one question. I overheard you two talking last night." _Oh great_ , Alan thought, opening his mouth like a fish out of water.

"What would that be?" A new voice boomed into the conversation. Turning, she saw Edgar leaning in the doorway, a bright bandana around his head. Alan was relieved, and Sam was suspicious.

"Last night I heard you call me a distraction. _What_ am I distracting you from?" They went silent at her question, and looking intently at them, she almost refused to back down. Edgar met eyes with her, and huffed. Setting down the bag of food on the main counter, he pulled out the comic from the night before.

"Look, I'll keep this simple. This is our survival manual." He paused, looking at his brother. "I'm surprised you survived the night." he admitted. She raised her brows, taking a step back. What did he mean by that? What a creep! Alan noticed her discomfort, and grabbed her hand.

"Sammy don't freak out. He didn't mean it. What he meant was... what he meant was that-"

"I was telling you the truth when I said the comic could save your life." Edgar spoke, for the first time without the low tone. The serious tone didn't leave, but he sounded much more sincere. "Don't freak, but there are vampires here in Santa Carla."

"Tourists would never know." Alan noted. "I mean, have you noticed all of the missing person signs?" Sammy thought for a moment, and thought back to yesterday with Grandpa. A moment later she looked up, and without missing a beat she put two and two together.

"Murder Capital of the World." She whispered, a chill rushing over her. Get ahold of yourself Sammy! She didn't know what came over her, but for a moment she shared a similar look with Edgar and Alan, and she had trouble snapping out of it. "There's no way."

"Think about it." Edgar pried. "It's a perfect set up. Vacationers come and go, and regulars stay pretty far out of town. There are shop keepers during the day, sure, but usually they stick in groups. Just take a look when you're out there." He stopped, letting Sammy think about everything she had seen. Looking up, she almost scouted out Alan for comfort, but he nodded at her as if confirming what Edgar was saying.

"How do you know?" She asked quietly. "I mean, this sounds crazy!" She threw up her hands, and Edgar walked around her. Returning to the bag of forgotten food, he pulled out a handful of poorly wrapped tacos, distributing them between the three of em. All the while, Alan pulled out another comic labeled _Destroy All Vampires_. Taking a seat at a table away from the front of the store, the three of them huddled around the comics, and Sammy learned everything to know about scouting out the undead. Eons later, her head was overwhelmed with facts about garlic and hounds of hell. It sounded like she found herself in the comic. These boys were obsessed, but she didn't know what to do. Shifting in her seat, she looked up. The clock read a quarter past 6:00. _Shit_ , she was bound to have missed Mike! Edgar and Alan had calmed down and were talking about how cool their crossbows and super soakers were. They were bound to come in handy one day.

"Hey guys," she interrupted, and they looked up. "It's getting late, and I better not get stranded here _after dark_." She chose her words carefully, and their ears perked up. Agreeing with her repeatedly, they commended her for heeding their warnings.

"Here, take these." Edgar grunted, handing her both comics. Stuffing them in her bag, Sammy stood up from the stool she was sitting in and stretched out her legs.

"Our number is on the back." Alan chimed in, sending a small smile her way. Looking a bit longer than he planned on, he coughed looking away. "I mean, for protection. Pray you never need to call us."

Sammy raised a brow, smirking now.

"Okay, I'll _pray_ I never need to call you. _Sure_." She nodded, leaving the shop with the sun hanging low in the sky, both boys watching her leave. Edgar couldn't help but roll his eyes at how uncool his brother was ogling after her.

* * *

The sun was warm on her skin, but Sammy felt uneasy. She planned on leaving with Mike, but she got much more invested with the Frog Brothers than she intended. Pulling her bag close, she walked down the boardwalk once more. It was dinner time, and she found the shops much quieter than before. She took note of the shops as she passed. There were a couple of dinky smoke shops, a coffee bar, a video tape shop, and a surfers paradise. A familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Oh, Sam!" turning around she spotted her mom waving at her. Lucy had been chatting with her coworkers as she watched the front door. She had hardly noticed Sammy walking past!

"This is a pretty cool gig, mom." Sammy walked back to the video shop, _Video Max_ , impressed. Her mom was leaning against the doorway with a graceful smile, pulling her in for a hug. Introducing Sam to her coworkers, Lucy was so excited for her daughter to be here! She had learned so much in her first day!

"Mike must have driven you down. Is he still around?" She asked, looking out to the crowd. Sammy shook her head and was pulled into the video store, Lucy telling her all about the new movies she wanted to see and how nice it was to work right in the middle of it all. Sammy forgot about all the vampire mumbo jumbo, and was happy to see her mom investing in something new. "Oh, you simply must meet Max!"

"I'm guessing this is his store?" Sammy mused, and her mom bumped her shoulder with good nature.

"Yes, yes. He should be coming in in a couple of hours. Care to stick around the boardwalk a little while longer? I can always give you a ride home." Lucy smiled, and pulled Sam in for a hug.

"That would be great." She hummed. "I have some money left over from the day. I can explore a bit longer and grab us dinner on the way out." Sammy offered, and her mom nodded eagerly. One of her coworkers had walked up, intent on talking to Lucy, and Sammy stepped back.

"I know that you're still getting into the rhythm of things Lucy, but I think you're doing great! Maria called in saying she's under the weather; would you mind finishing up the day with Max?" Lucy turned red, and Sam couldn't help but grin. Nodding her mom's way in approval, Lucy turned back.

"Of course, that's fine." She said, trying to keep her cool. "Sammy, just meet me back here around ten, okay honey?" She grinned, and after saying her goodbyes, Sammy held a shit eating grin.

"I can't wait to meet this _Max_." She beamed, wiggling her eyebrows at her mom. Lucy smiled, hiding it behind her hand, and shook her head at her daughter. Sam took off towards the heart of the rides and games, trying to pass the time. Deciding that carnival food wouldn't be great to take home, Sammy found herself sitting in a quiet Chinese restaurant, quiet music lulling in the background. Bored, and with time to kill, she ordered a bowl of soup and pulled out one of the vampire comics. Turning it over she noticed the chicken scratch phone number written in the back, a Frog Brother's logo above it. Shaking her head, she looked out the front windows of the shop.

The nightlife had come full force, and the sun was long gone. Sammy was lulled in by the dim lighting and quiet atmosphere, forgetting the zoo outside. Soon it all faded out; the lights, the music, the rockers outside, the vampires, the video store. She was in dangerous ground, closing her heavy eyes. The day had taken a toll on her, and Sammy found no harm in taking a breather. Not long after, the bell on the front door rang, alerting Sammy to sit up. Blinking quickly, she focused on the door.

What she didn't expect to see was Marko, glancing down at her.


	3. A Lucky Encounter

**I hope the summer is treating everyone well! For us readers here in the United States, I hope you had an incredible Independence Day! We have a fire ban close to home, so we had to put a halt on firework celebrations this year.**

 **Thank you very much for all those who reviewed chapter two! At the end of the day, the feedback is such a great motivator and encouragement to continue. A special thanks to 5SecsOfLARRYcat, Lil Lost Lady, wericdream, WitchyWaysGal, Morrowsong, FlowerChild23, as well as all of the guest reviews.**

 **Samantha and I are eager to know what you think of her run in with Marko, so please let me know what you think of this update!**

 **Now, let's get back to your scheduled program:**

* * *

Chapter 3

 **A Lucky Encounter**

What were the odds?

Sammy couldn't help but watch as Marko strutted past her, stealing her gaze casually. He walked with such a confidence, as if he owned the place, tapping his fingers on the counter. Was he wearing gloves? Fingerless gloves? _Really?_ Sam held back a scoff. The owner quickly appeared from the back, smiling stiffly at the new customer. All the while Sammy snapped her neck to look out the window; she didn't want to be caught staring. Was she staring? Did he know she would be there? There was no way, Sam decided.

"The usual." She overheard him coo. He sounded so cool, so _smug_. The usual? Without turning around she raised a brow, her fingers twitching. He must have been familiar with the place. Hearing footsteps approach, Sammy inhaled sharply, trying to stay grounded. She tried to hide her excited expression as he came into view, but butterflies had hammered around in her chest, and she glanced up to catch him in the dim lighting.

"Hey there. It's Marko, right?" Sammy inquired, making the first move, but it came out much more announced than she'd like to admit. _Of course_ she knew his name, and he was quick to smirk, his hand flying up to hide his curious expression.

"What a coincidence." His eyes were bright, even without the lights from the boardwalk. Marko glanced from her face and he tapped on the booth across from her. "Is this seat taken, _Sam_?" He implored, his voice smooth, and if she didn't know any better it sounded more like a challenge.

"Be my guest." Sammy invited, watching him slide into the booth with ease.

For a breath it was quiet, both parties scanning the other silently, taking in everything they could.

Sam's eyes roamed cautiously, just as the night before, and there was something peculiar about Marko that she couldn't place. She skimmed his chest, a light shirt clinging tightly to his toned torso. It was tattered, but covered once again by the jacket she took note of the night before. In the light, she looked at the various patches; they had seen better days, but the colors were still catching her eye. Each one fell into place, as if careful deliberation had been put into making the perfect jacket. Sammy did notice the gloves again as his hand roved up to cover an amused grin. Her eyes flew past his parted lips, suddenly interested in gawking anywhere but there.

His expression was reserved as she met his eyes, but there was a playful fire hidden behind them. They were much lighter than she remembered, and she looked up to see him staring right back at her. Putting his hand down he leaned back in the seat, slouching and matching her gaze.

"I thought the boardwalk was far too big for us to be running into each other so soon." Sammy quirked, stirring the soup spoon absentmindedly.

Marko smirked.

"Lucky me."

Sammy looked up to Marko, his eyes burning into her. Something told her that _luck_ had nothing to do with it.

"What's on the menu tonight?" Sam quipped lightly, changing the subject. Leaning forward, she noticed Marko's eyes scanning her quickly, and she averted her eyes back to her soup. He held his gaze, noticing her attempt at small talk.

"An assortment. Take your pick." Marko smiled, leaning in. "I'll tell you a secret, Sam. My buddies and I are throwing a welcome party tonight." Him and his pals?

"And where are these friends of yours, Marko?" Sam jested, looking around. "No one's here, but just the two of us."

 _Just the two of us._

Sammy looked back at Marko, but his lips never moved. Catching his gaze he smirked; she thought she heard -

"Order ready!" The woman behind the counter boomed, and quickly Marko stood, marching his way to the cashier.

Sammy shook her head, pushing the now cold soup away. Was she insane? What was happening to her? She was hearing things, actually hearing things! Rubbing her eyes, she suddenly found herself drained from the day, and she slouched in her chair. Dropping her guard, she looked out the window, watching the crowd as a passerby. There were a couple of guys heckling girls as they passed across the street, one with his hair slicked back and the other with an unruly mohawk. She remembered them: they were both in front of the comic shop the day before. Sam caught the gaze of the one with slicked hair, and he winked her way, nudging the guy next to him. Looking away as quickly as she could, Sam shivered in disgust, shaking her head.

"Surf Nazis." She heard Marko whisper behind her. She didn't turn to meet him, but frowned.

"Who are they?" She questioned, more to herself than anything.

"Waste-oids who think they own the boardwalk. _Posers_." Marko's lips turned down in disgust, but his eyes had a certain fire behind them as he walked up to Sam and placed a gloved hand on her shoulder.

"Let me walk you out of here."

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Marko pulled Sammy close. Casting him a side glance of concern, he tightened his grip in reassurance, that wild grin on his face, leading them out into the open. What did Sammy get herself into?

* * *

"Whaddya mean you haven't seen them? They're probably off screwing, big fuckin' deal. Just forget about it." Sam overheard mohawk man snap at his pal ahead of them.

"Yeah, but Shelly didn't show up for work either -" The other retorted meekly.

"I said forget about it. They're fine." Mohawk man griped. The other guy ran a hand through his hair, wiping the excess gel onto his pants.

Sammy noticed as Marko pushed out his chest, smirking as if he had heard the best damned joke ever, and she watched as the waves of people scattered ahead of them. Without realizing why, she pulled him closer as they passed the surf nazis, and when she thought the coast was clear, she felt a gruff hand pull at her arm. Turning, she broke from Marko's grasp.

"Hey, hold up man!" The surf nazi screeched at Marko. "The last I saw Greg and Shelly was when we were on the carousel a couple nights back. What did you and your friends-"

"Cool it, _bud_." Marko smirked, cutting him off. Cocking his head to the side, Marko looked much more menacing than she had seen. "I haven't seen 'em. Sounds like you should keep your ring leader on a tighter leash." He teased.

"Screw you, man. What did you do?" The surfer accused, causing a scene. Heads turned to look at the showdown between Marko and the waste-oids, and mohawk man watched from the sidelines, waiting for the other surfer to make a move. Marko's eyes glided past the surfer, only to stop and see he that his hand was still gripped tightly to Sam.

"Now that's no way to treat a lady." Marko scolded, shaking his head. He grabbed Sammy's hand, pulling her out of the surfer's grip and behind him, away from the surfers. "You better beat it, _Buster_."

She couldn't see his expression, but Sammy clutched onto Marko's hand to cool him down. His back was tense, and from seeing the scowls on the surf nazi's faces, he was probably going to throw down. Before anything else could happen, Sammy tugged at his waist, pulling Marko away from the commotion. He smirked in their direction once more, shook his head, and followed Sam through the crowd. Not looking Marko's way, she kept her gaze forward. Marko wrapped his arm around her tight, and they walked silently through the maze of rides and games, coming to a halt outside Video Max.

"This is my stop." Sam smiled, waving to a woman inside, causing Marko to raise a brow. He looked in the store, scouting, _searching_ for something. Turning back to look at her, he removed his arm from her shoulder, Sam noticing his light scowl.

"Get home safe." Marko spoke slowly, before turning and disappearing down the boardwalk.

She spared a final look in the direction Marko vanished, before turning back to Video Max.

"Sammy!" Lucy chimed, waving from behind the desk. As she approached, she realized just how busy the store was. Kids were weaving in and out of isles running from their parents, groups of women were crowded around the latest movie poster of Kurt Russell, and she even took note of a group of surfers goofing off in the corner. There was a line of people waiting to check out the latest blockbuster hit, even as late as it was. She waited in line, people watching to pass the time. Looking back to her mom, she wasn't the only one working at the front counter. Towering next to her was another employee, helping her to knock out the line of customers. With his colorful clothes and fun glasses, he absolutely fit in with the atmosphere of the shop. He must have been similar in age with Sam's mom, and they chatted and laughed between scanning movies. She was next in line, and her mom was practically bouncing.

"And don't forget! Please rewind the tape before you bring it back." She waved at the customer walking out the door. "Well, what do you think?" Lucy asked her daughter, smiling as she put a movie back into the correct place.

"It's a pretty sweet place mom. You're doing great." Sam smiled softly, and Lucy was beaming back at her.

"You must have read my mind." A deep voice chuckled. Turning around, she saw the man her mom was working next to moments prior, looking at Lucy with pride. "Lucy is a natural. The customers absolutely love her."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far." Her mom chimed. "But I'm glad I can help. Sweetheart, there's someone that I'd like you to meet." Her mom motioned, looking back to the man with a shy grin. Cocking her head to the side Sammy looked back to the man, now towering over the two of them with a wide smile.

"You must be Samantha. My name's Max."


	4. Yellow Eyes, Bad Dreams

I hope you all have an incredible weekend ahead! After the fires calmed down in my state, a wave of incredible hail storms rocked through our town, and my car is starting to look like a golf ball! Regardless, I want to send a very special thanks to wericdream, literalylit, Lexxxloubell, Lil Lost Lady, FlowerChild23, Fiction Fan, and for the guest reviews from the last chapter. I absolutely love the feedback, and thank you all so very much!

This is a behind the scenes chapter from the movie, and I hope you enjoy. Cheers!

* * *

Chapter 4

 **Yellow Eyes, Bad Dreams**

"It'll be okay, mom. Mike's a smart kid. I'll stay and wait up for him to come home." Lucy was in a panic. It was close to 11:00 and the clock in the kitchen was ticking away farther into the night. While Lucy was pacing around in her room, Sam watched idly by in the doorway, itching to get into bed herself.

"No no, Sammy. I couldn't ask you to do that. It's been a long day for the both of us -"

"But I'm not the one who has to work tomorrow. I'll be okay." Sam interjected with affirmation. Being out in the sun all day had taken its toll, but she didn't feel just in whining about it.

By the sounds of it, Lucy offered to work every night since they had gotten to Santa Carla, leaving boxes around the house that needed to be unpacked. Sam couldn't tell if it was because they were so desperate for money, or if she was just eager to see Max.

"Are you sure?" Lucy slouched, showing just how tired she was. Holding her hand to her chin she looked up to see Sam nodding relentlessly, trying to soothe her mother. Walking over to the door, Lucy collected Sam in a bear hug, humming her thanks. "I owe you big time. Goodnight sweetie."

Pulling away from her mom, Sam stretched before heading to her room to change. Stripping out of her swimsuit she sat on her bed, half tempted to call it a night, but hearing a clatter from downstairs made her jump. _Mike_. She pulled on a loose top and longer pants and shuffled her way down the creaky steps, scouting the house for her brother. Hearing a second bang, she span towards the kitchen. _Man, mom's going to be pissed when she hears this-_

Instead of seeing Mike, Grandpa had slammed the fridge door shut, mumbling to himself about all the damned tourists and a mess that Mike must have made earlier in the day.

"You scared me!" Sam quipped, holding a hand to her chest.

"I'm as quiet as a mouse Sammy. You'll hear me when I want you to hear me." He cackled with a grin. Pulling out a seat at the table for her, Sam noticed Grandpa still had his magnifying headpiece on from earlier, but instead of stuffing a dead animal, he was much more interested in the rolling papers in front of him. Grandpa was meticulously rolling blunts. Blunts!

"Are you into that alternative medicine, Gramps?" Sam whispered lowly, trying not to laugh while nudging his shoulder.

"Stop frogging around, Sammy. This is serious business!" Gramps retorted. "I don't believe in that alternative medicine mumbo-jumbo; maybe I'm just trying to make the most of my night. And you better not tell your mother." He scolded.

"Alright, your secret's safe with me," she paused, "as long as I can snag one of your root beers on the second shelf."

"Fat chance; nobody touches the second shelf but me. But here, take this." He handed her a joint, and she fumbled putting it in her pocket. "Now that's between the two of us." He winked. "Goodnight, Samantha."

"Goodnight Grandpa." She smiled at the old man, walking back into the living room. The clock in the hall read a quarter till midnight, and the perched herself on the couch for the long haul. Michael had to be home anytime now.

She fiddled the joint between her fingers, waiting and watching the clock tick by. What was she supposed to do with this? Sam had never smoked before, and hell knows she would never want her mom to catch her. Hearing a creak from the hall she jumped before realizing it was just Grandpa retiring for the night, and she stretched before looking back at the clock. It was starting to get way too late, one-thirty in the morning, and Sammy didn't fight how desperate she was for sleep.

* * *

 _The sky was dark, purple, and blotted with stars. There was a stillness in the air, and the trees stood up, watching and waiting like soldiers. She was curious, and sitting up from the grass she was splayed out in, she watched the trees and the flowers. She was waiting for a signal. A moment passed and a light shone over her, displaying the loose white dress she was wearing and her hair fell around her face. A light? Not long after the beam returned, and she found herself blindly walking towards the lighthouse. Awaiting another signal she continued on, taking note as the wind began to pick up. She knew she was heading in the right direction._

 _As the wind began to spin around her, she held tight to her dress to keep it down; she knew something was wrong. Papers flew around her, and she covered her face in defense - they were all around her. Reaching out, she blindly grabbed for one, and she greedily read the bold writing on the front. MISSING PERSON. SAMANTHA EMERSON. HAVE YOU SEEN ME? She gasped, looking at the face plastered on the flyer. Her eyes looked sunken in. She looked dead. Throwing the paper to the ground she reached for another, now frantic. MISSING. SAMANTHA. She shrieked, reaching for another. SAMANTHA. MISSING. MISSING PERSON. SAMANTHA. SAMANTHA._

 _"No! Make it stop!" She yelled._

 _Samantha._

 _She whipped around, but no one was there. Hearing a low grumble she backed up slowly, the wind coming to an abrupt halt._

 _"What do you want?" She was impatient, and she spat with malice. Hearing the grumble turn to a laugh she turned quickly, hearing a branch break off in the distance._

 _"You can't hide. He can't save you here." Hearing a low coo in her ear, Sam felt shivers rushing down her arms. The voice...it sounded like an animal. It was an animal. She closed her eyes, sealing them tight._

 _"Go away." She whispered. Feeling hands trace up and down her arms had her in flight mode, and she took off running. She ran and ran, the grass turning to sand, seeing the ocean in the distance. Where could she go? She stopped, catching her breath in a panic._

 _"Turn around sweetheart." She heard the animal purr. "You'll come to me. You'll come to me soon enough."_

 _Turning she reached out to smack the creature away, but her hand was grabbed, and all she could see were eyes. Yellow eyes bore into her, captivating her, capturing her. The animal chuckled slowly, and she couldn't look away. The creature pulled her in, lulling her deeper into his trance, his arms tightly around her. She was trapped, just as a snake to its prey, and that's when she felt it; a searing pain tearing through her neck, and she felt her heartbeat resonating all the way to her fingertips._

 _As soon as it happened it all disappeared, and the monster was pulled from her with force._

 _"You won't touch her. Stay away from her."_

* * *

Sam jolted awake, panting and dazed. Her head was spinning, and her dream...it felt so real. It felt too real. Kicking her legs out from the blanket she froze; she was still on the couch from the night before, but she was covered in the blanket from her room. Did she bring that down? Holding a hand to her chest she caught her breath, her heart beating a million times a minute. It was only a dream. It had to be a dream.

Stretching her sore limbs she sat up from her perch on the couch to see what time it was - there was light shining in the house, but everything was quiet. It was a quarter till seven in the morning, and Sammy groaned at how early she woke up. Fumbling her way to the kitchen she started up the coffee pot, trying to forget the scorching pain in her neck. She must have slept wrong, but the dream had her in a tizzy. The yellow eyes haunted her, and she absentmindedly poured her coffee, making her way back to the living room. Instead of flopping back on the couch she grabbed her blanket and trudged up the stairs. After discarding the blanket she snuck down the hall, opening the door to peek in on Mike. Sammy let out a long sigh of relief when she saw him on the bed, snoring away, but he was in rough shape, and she shook her head, closing the door.

Sammy made her way to the bathroom, deciding a bath was the best way to calm her nerves. She had a hard time keeping track of how long she was in there; her coffee had gone cold, and her head was heavy. She was stuck reliving the dream, and kept going back to the red eyes and neck pain. Vampire. Sam shook her head, audibly scoffing. She was losing it.

A knock on the door brought her to her senses.

"Sammy?" It was her mom, and she sat up in the bathtub. "I made breakfast."


	5. Unconventional Symptoms

Happy New Year! I splurged for Christmas and bought the Sam and Michael funko pop figures, and they are so stinkin' cute! Best wishes for 2019, and best of luck to Michael and Sammy to try and make it to sunrise.

A very special thanks to cafeanna, Red13Rabbit, wericdream, FlowerChild23, Lil Lost Lady, ashley164,and for all the guest reviews! Thank you for the feedback, for the follows, for the favorites. It's all for you!

 **Chapter 5**

"Samantha, give me a hand why don't ya?" Grandpa called from across the room. Sammy had been curled up on the couch, trying to remember her dream, but throughout the day she could recall less and less. The only things she could remember were those piercing eyes and her hero, and they scared the life out of her. Blinking out of her daze, she turned towards him.

"If I say yes, will you change your mind about taking me to town?" She quipped, and Gramps snorted, shaking his head. Grandpa had shown Sammy his hot-rod earlier on that morning, telling stories of the good old days. He almost fell out of the bench seat when she asked if she could get behind the wheel. "I told you kiddo, this is as close to town as I like to get."

"I know, I know." She rolled her eyes and stretched out, climbing out of the couch cushions. Moving towards the kitchen, she found him rummaging around in the cabinets. "What are you looking for?"

"Hey Sammy, you're a lady, right?." He asked, still busy looking through the silverware drawer. "Do you think we've got anything around here that could pass for aftershave?" Before she could come up with an answer, Grandpa scurried over to the sink and grabbed the bottle of windex from the counter. Turning, Sam nodded her approval with a lopsided grin.

Gramps had a date. He had been cooing about it all afternoon, and Sam thought about two old-timers finding similar interests in taxidermy and root beer.

"What'd you stuff for her? Mr. Johnson?" She jumped, turning to see Mike in the doorway. Sammy didn't even hear him come down. He wore a sloppy smirk, and Grandpa's mood changed in an instant.

"Well, I'll see you too later. Sandwiches are for dinner; I left everything out on the counter." He offered one fleeting look at Mike, before turning towards the door.

'That wasn't cool, Mike." Sammy grumbled, watching the doorway as Gramps left. "Did you have a wild night? Are you freebasing? Inquiring minds want to know." She asked, giving Michael a double take. He hadn't switched his clothes from yesterday, and he was wearing sunglasses...in the house. And was that an earring?

"Something like that." He murmured, making his way over to the fridge. Opening it, she noticed his distaste as he turned up his nose and slammed the door shut.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam inquired, suddenly incredibly focused on her sandwich making skills. He looked down and rubbed his eyes. "I mean, I'd ditch the earring. It's not you; it's definitely not you." He felt his ear, a look of surprise flashing across his features.

"To be honest, I don't remember a lot of it -"

In a flash their conversation was silenced by the sound of motorcycles revving. She could have sworn she heard voices out there! The blinds were banging against the windows, and the pots and pans swung from their rack overhead. Whoever was out there, they were laughing like wild animals, and Sammy backed up, clutching to the counter.

 _Sammy._

She spun around, clutching her chest. Her eyes scanned the room in a hurry. Someone was there! Sam heard hoots and hollers all around her house, and they must have been outnumbered. She saw Mike grab the knife she had been using for her sandwich, and hunched forward through the doorway to the living room.

"Mike, don't." She warned, chasing after him.

He didn't listen. He couldn't hear her! Michael was creeping towards the door, the knife in hand.

 _Sammy._

Was she going crazy?!

"Don't open the door! Mike!" Sam couldn't take in enough air, and her head was spinning as Mike reached for the handle. Suddenly there was silence.

The lights were gone. The motorcycles were gone.

"Mike, who was that?" Sammy yelled, hiding behind one of the chairs. She tripped, backing away from Mike as he came closer. Leaning down, he crouched next to her, handing his knife to her. "What's going on, Mike?" She was terrified.

"Go to your room, and lock the door." Mike spoke grimly, and he looked her square on. He was sweating, his hands were clammy.

"Mike, what did you do?" She whispered, hardly comprehending what he was asking her to do.

"Go. Now." He said, and it was final.

* * *

Sam sat on her bed, clutching to the knife. Never had she been so scared, and she didn't know what was out there, or who was out there. It must have been some terrible trick! There's no way that there were motorcycles surrounding her house. The drive way was a straight line, and the garage was further down the property. What if someone was in the house? What if they never left? The next thing she heard was a muffled yell, a call for help. Sammy jumped up, frigid with fear.

She crept towards the door, knife in hand, and tried to quiet her breathing. Sam wasn't prepared if she had to use the knife! She stepped out of her shoes to stay as quiet as possible, and opened her door as carefully as she could. Sam had no idea what she would see outside her door.

"Mike?" She whispered.

There was nothing out of the ordinary, but Sammy was jumping at her own shadow. Creeping down the stairs, she burst into a sprint when she saw Mike doubled over in front of the fridge, milk spilled everywhere. He was a mess.

"Mike, are you okay? What happened?!"

"I don't feel so well, Sammy."

"Let me help you. We have to get this cleaned up." Sammy reached for his hand to pull him up, and after a moment of hesitation, he accepted the help. He was sweating, his breath was erratic. "Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you?"

He shook his head, squinting his eyes shut.

"No. There's no one here, Sammy." He confirmed, looking back to her.

Was he insane? Did Grandpa also give him a joint? Sam led him out to the living room, hoping he would sit back and rest. On the contrary, he was having trouble standing, and he doubled over in pain in the middle of the walkway.

"Man, maybe we should take you to the hospital."

"Hey, piss off." He shot back, pulling out of her grip. Stumbling back, Sammy didn't know what to do. She didn't expect the outburst, and watched as he tried to balance himself. Something was wrong. Running a hand through her hair she suppressed a groan of frustration, and moved towards the stairs. She was going to tell him to lay off the attitude and stop scaring the shit out of her, but she lost her train of thought as she looked at him again.

"Mike, look at your reflection in the mirror."

They both froze, and stared at the mirror in disbelief. He looked like a ghost. She waved her hand, clearly behind him, but she could see her hand right through him. She grabbed his arm and he was still there. He wasn't a ghost; he was right there in front of her! What was happening? He looked just as scared as she did, but she backed away.

"Sammy, wait,-"

"No, there is no way. Mike, you're like a monster out of a comic book." She swallowed hard, watching him in the mirror. She could see right through him! Stumbling back, she was aghast.

"Get away from me!"

"Sam, just wait a minute. Sammy!" He called after her, but she ran back up the stairs to her room, locking herself in. Precariously perched on her dresser, Sam's eye was caught on the comic book the Frog Brothers had given to her. Fat chance. She scoffed, stuffing the comic in her dresser and out of sight.

"What's wrong with him?" She whispered to herself. Sammy paced her room, trying to remember symptoms of the flu, or polio, or chicken pox, or anything that would make sense! Nothing struck a chord with her. How was he invisible?

 _RINGGGGGGG_

Sammy nearly jumped out of her skin, and ran to her bedside table.

 _RINGGGGGGG_

"Hello?" She answered shakily.

"Oh sweetheart, it's Mom. I just wanted to call and check in. Did Mike make you dinner? Did he sleep all day? My dinner with Max is so much better than I could have ever hoped for!" She cooed.

"Oh that's great mom, great." Sam started, disinterested. "Mom, I think we'll need to have a real long talk about something."

"Is everything okay?" Lucy cut in, and she could tell her mom was starting to get worried.

"We'll it's about Michael-"

"Don't listen to her mom, she doesn't know what she's saying. Sam doesn't know what she's saying." She heard a thump against her window and turned, her mouth agape. Michael was outside her window! He was flying?! He was flailing his arms, grabbing on to the window sill with all his might. He was trying to get in!

"Mom, help!"

"Oh my god!" She heard Lucy yelp.

"Shut up, Sam." Mike bellowed, and he tried to pry open the glass.

"I'm coming! Tell her I'm coming!" Sammy heard her mom, and then she dropped the phone.

"Stay back Mike! Go back to your own window!"

"As if I could! I don't know how to work this thing! I'm your brother Sammy, help me. Sam, please. Open the window. Please!" He was losing his grip, and she was losing her nerve. She wouldn't just let him float away, and with a hard swallow she reached for the latch. Sammy pulled Michael in through the window with all of her strength, and they collapsed on the ground. There's no way this was happening. There was no way. It had to be a dream.

"Thanks Sammy." Mike was out of breath and pulled her in for a hug. He was absolutely terrified. What has happening to him?

"Are you okay?" They both knew the answer to that.

"I'll figure this out, I'll figure this out Sammy." He was so scared. Sammy had never seen him so disheveled.

"There's no way this is really happening. It makes no sense!"

"It make no sense. I'll work this out, Sam."

"Well, what about Mom? She'll freak -"

"Don't. Don't tell her anything." He interrupted. I'll work this out, Sam." He pulled her close, almost as if he were trying to keep himself planted on the ground. "I'll work this out. I'll work this out. Trust me, Sammy."

"Okay." Sammy whispered, but she didn't know what to do. She watched him stand up and saunter back into his room, and stayed planted in her spot as she heard him rummaging around. "What are you going to do?" She called out.

"I...I don't know." She heard him heard him hesitate, before watching him slip out of view. She heard him jump down the stairs and head outside, and in the distance she heard his bike start up. He better have a good plan.

What was she going to do? She was just a kid, and so was Mike. Sammy locked all the windows and all the doors, as if it would stop any monsters from breaking in. She needed to get a grip. He was floating. He was invisible. This isn't normal!

 _Monsters_. She thought. Who could stop a monster?

Sammy ran upstairs, fumbling through her bedside dresser. Bingo. Clutching the comic close, she turned it over to see the scribbled number on the back and looked at the clock. It was just about 9:00 at night. She dialed quickly, waiting anxiously.

"Santa Carla Comics, the best comics in Santa Carla." She heard the guff voice answer.

"E-Edgar? It's Sam. I need your help."


	6. More than Coincidence

It's Friday, it's February, and it's freezing outside. I couldn't seem to stop writing, and now it's time for a chapter! (and I think it's my longest one yet). Sam is in for a busy day!

 **Chapter 6**

The next morning, Sammy joined her mom in the mud room for breakfast, and Lucy was disheveled. Her hands were shaking, and her breathing was shallow. Her eyes were on the door, and she was barely keeping it together.

"I don't think I slept a wink, Sam. I'm so worried about him. He's not like this." Lucy was talking about Michael. She had been talking about him all morning, and as soon as she found out that he hadn't come home; oh God, she was a mess. Without giving away any details from the night before, Sammy cleared her throat.

"You're right. I don't know what's going on with him." She held out her hand for her mom to hold, and Lucy held to her tight. Lucy wasn't going to risk losing Samantha, too. They sat in silence for a while, and Sammy was trying to think of anything to distract her mom. Mike better have figured out a solution to their monster problem.

"Hey mom?" She started again, and Lucy looked to her to keep going. "Do you want to do something for Max? I feel real lousy that you ran out on him last night."

"I'd like that." Lucy agreed with a small smile, squeezing her hand. "Oh Sam, it's not your fault. I was worried about you, and I didn't think twice about it. I think he'll understand. Max said that he had sons of his own."

Michael came in not long after, and Sam came to the conclusion that they were still at square one. It would be useless for her to wait for him to come up with the answers to their monster problem. Lucy and Sam changed and got ready for the day, and headed into town with little mention of Michael. Lucy was in a much better mood thinking of getting Max an apology gift, and Gramps recommended Blood Thirsty, a wine shop that the widow Johnson owned. Lucy picked out a cheap bottle of Cabernet, and they set off with the directions towards Max's.

What they didn't anticipate was that Thorn wouldn't be so eager to see them. He snarled and attacked, leaving Lucy running for the gate. She dropped the bottle, red wine staining the white paint. Lucy didn't care. She had to get out of there! Thorn had taken a chunk out of her skirt, and Sam pulled her over the gate with all of her might. They were out of breath, startled, and didn't know what to do.

They took off for the boardwalk, Lucy wanting to stop at work and call Max with an apology in case he didn't see the shattered bottle of wine on his porch. In the meantime, Sam took off for the comic shop. She had to see the Frog Brothers.

* * *

"Does your brother sleep a lot?"

"Is he afraid of the sun?"

"Does he have bad breath?

"Long fingernails?" They asked back to back. Her head was spinning, and Sam was shaking her head at an alarming rate.

"I don't know!" She shot back, throwing her arms up in frustration. "He was floating and everything, and I was scared to death!" Sammy was exasperated. "I could see right through him, like he was a ghost! What am I supposed to do?"

"You could see through him?" Edgar asked in disbelief, and thought for a moment. "No shit?"

"Honest." She chirped, running over the the Vampires Everywhere comics. She was looking for an answer, anything to help her save Michael. Edgar and Alan shared a look, a hopeful look. It was as if all their lives they had been waiting for the moment to strike back against the attacks in Santa Carla; against the vampires.

"You've got to keep a low profile, Sam." She raised a brow. How was she supposed to do that?

"Keep a low profile? Are you insane!? They must have saw me, I was in the house!" She was scared about the motorcycles around her house. Of _who_ was on the motorcycles. They must have something to do with it. They must be the ones terrorizing Mike.

"Calm down, Sammy. We'll work this out, and we'll keep you safe." Alan offered, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"We will?" Edgar asked, and Alan rolled his eyes.

"We are awesome monster bashers; we know all of their weaknesses." Alan confirmed.

"We do?" Edgar asked again. He was bashed over the head with a comic.

"You're not helping."

"Where do we start?" Sam jumped in, laying out all of the Vampire comics she found.

They went over everything from the beginning. The trio looked at every tactical weakness; garlic, holy water, stakes, churches, running water, silver. You name it; and they talked about it. Now for Sam, a girl with needs of protection, was interested in how to spot a vampire. They could look like anyone on the boardwalk. Look for the sharp yellow teeth, the cunning eyes, the bad breath. They would have long fingernails and be as pale as a ghost. Vampires were cunning, sexy, and deceitful. The Frog Brothers talked about how they would need dim and dark places to hide from the sun and hold their coven of the undead. Sometimes they could control animals; bats and birds, and they told her all about the Hounds of Hell. It was on the tip of her tongue to bring up Thorn attacking her mom, but thought better of it. Max was on a date with Lucy when the strange things started happening around their home, and Thorn was probably just protecting the house while Max was away.

She told them all of the weird things happening to Michael, and they came to the conclusion that he was only a half vampire; that his mortal soul could still be saved. They let Sam know what would happen if he were to make a kill, and that if he did, there would be no saving him. He would have to be killed to protect the greater good.

"I'm not going to kill my brother." She spoke in a flat tone. Michael would live. There was no other option.

"Fine. If you don't, then we will." Edgar grunted, and Alan pulled him back.

"Ignore him. Keep a low profile, sleep with garlic, and never invite a vampire into your house. Got it?" Edgar and Alan were looking at her, and she nodded without hesitation. She wouldn't take any risks.

* * *

It was about that time that Lucy had finished up with checking in at work, and she made her way to Santa Carla Comics. She looked with curiosity at all of the books. Neither of her children had taken a great interest in comics, and with the stale atmosphere, she was almost relieved. She spotted Sammy by the registers, and made her way over with a small smile.

"All done, sweetheart?" She chimed, and the three jumped up, turning to face her. Lucy took note of the boys and of the silly way they looked. The dressed like they were straight out of a comic book!

"Yeah, all done." Sam turned, linking her arm with her moms. "Mom, I'd like to introduce you to my friends Edgar and Alan." She nodded in their direction, and they both grunted a response back. They waved their goodbyes and headed back towards the car. It was getting late. They needed to get home, and Sam looked off to west, the sun setting over the water.

"Did you get a hold of Max?" Sam asked, trying to distract herself and casting a side glance to her mom.

"No, but I left him a message and put a note on his desk." She smiled. "You know, I've been a busy bee ever since we got into town. How about the two of us grab dinner?" Sam's head was spinning at her words. They had to get home, and fast! She didn't want a frightful interaction with the undead!

"Are you okay, Sam?" Lucy asked, concerned. Sammy had fallen into a daze.

"Of course," she shook it off, "I just don't feel like staying out late." Sam could see the car in the distance. They were almost there!

"Well that makes two of us." Lucy spoke with a soft laugh. "How about we get a pizza to take home? Guidachellis is just a block down." Sammy nodded cautiously. Nothing would happen to them. She would follow all of the rules the Frog Brothers gave her.

Guidachellis was an upbeat Italian restaurant meant for the whole family. Lucy and Sam walked in, overwhelmed with the smell of pizza and garlic and bread sticks. Kids were running around, and it was packed with people. Maybe Lucy proposed the best idea for dinner. No vampire would want to be a hundred feet from this place!

"For here, or to go?" The hostess asked quickly.

"To go - " Lucy started, but Sam tugged her shoulder.

"How about we sit down for a little while? We can always take home the leftovers." Sam justified, a matching smile growing on both of their faces. She could see the car, they would reek like garlic, and it would be a straight shot home. No vampires would mess with them.

"Here, thank you." Lucy corrected, and the hostess led them to a booth next to the window overlooking the water. They could see that the boardwalk was preparing for a concert, testing out the lighting on the stage.

They sat and chatted about everything they could think of while waiting for their dinner. The divorce, Gramps, Lucy's childhood in Santa Carla. Lucy talked about how handsome Max looked for their dinner date the night before, and she slowed, asking if Sam had a crush.

"Well what about those brothers?" She asked in between bites of pizza.

"Them? No!" Sam croaked, her mouth falling open. "They are just a couple of kids that run the comic shop. I met them our first night here." She never thought of the Frog Brothers that way. And there was no way she would tell her mom that they were vampire hunters.

"I'm only joking." Her mom teased. "Maybe you'll find a sweet boy when school starts back up?"

"Maybe." Sam rolled her eyes, but looking out the window she was caught on a figure standing outside of the pizza shop. Marko was standing against the railing, and she saw him laughing with a group of guys. They all looked like they were having a great time, and a small smile graced her features. Lucy noticed, and instead of saying anything to her daughter she followed her view. She was looking at the group of boys that had come into the video store!

Sammy tried not to stare, but Marko looked so happy, and it felt contagious. His eyes drifted up, locking onto hers as if he knew she had been staring. With a cheshire grin he sent a small wave her way, and Sam fought the urge to wave back. She nodded in acknowledgement, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She probably looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Who's that?" Lucy asked with a curious grin.

"Oh, that's Marko." Sam's eyes drifted back out the window, but Marko and his friends were gone. They had disappeared. Raising her brow, her attention turned back to her mom.

"He's awfully cute, Sammy." Her mom added. Sam was blushing furiously by now, and her mom had caught her staring.

"Oh yes, he's very cute." Sammy agreed without really thinking about it. She blinked. Did she say that out loud?

They paid and walked out of the pizzeria with leftovers in hand, and they took a moment to appreciate the lights from the boardwalk and the music from the concert. It was a beautiful night. They meandered through the growing crowds, and stopped when Sammy was bumped in the shoulder.

"Sorry -" she started, but never finished. Looking over her shoulder, this guy was staring at her. He had a wild mane of hair that fell past his shoulders, and had a cocky grin like he meant to bump into her.

"Oh no, I'm sorry chica." He smirked. "It's Sam, right?"

She stopped, and both Lucy and Sam looked at each other in confusion. Who was this guy?

"Yeah, that's me. Do I know you?" She asked, straightening her shoulders. He looked to Lucy and back to her, and shook his head. He looked wild like a rockstar. His mesh shirt was torn at the top, and his white jeans were almost brown with dust. Taking a step forward, he held out his hand.

"My name's Paul."

Sammy took his hand, and the three of them backed up against the pier to clear a way for the oncoming traffic.

"Paul," Sammy started, "we better get going." She smiled, and Lucy nodded in agreement. It was getting late, and the weirdos were coming out of the woodwork.

"Hey, I get it." He agreed after a moment, putting his hands up in surrender. "Have a good night, and if you see Marko, tell him I'm looking for him." Sam raised a brow. He knew Marko? Before she could ask anything more he backtracked into the crowds, leaving the duo with unanswered questions. The two raced off to the parking lot, and they were ready to get home. They made it to the car, until Sam heard someone calling her name. She turned, and watched Marko weaving in and out of cars to get over to her, and she turned towards Lucy in a tizzy.

"I'll give you two a minute." Lucy didn't want to eavesdrop, still uncomfortable with the run in with the other guy, and she got in the car.

"Hey Sammy, wait up!" Marko grinned, jumping out of the way of a family of four heading home for the night. He looked chipper as ever, and she found herself smiling again, matching his mood. He leaned on the car next to theirs, about two feet of space between them.

"Hey there." She grinned, keeping her cool. "Are you trying to get hit by a car?" She joked, and Marko shook his head, showing off his pearly whites.

"I didn't see you here last night." He replied in a matter of fact way. Sam paused, not knowing what to say. Was he expecting her?

"Were you looking for me, Marko?" She teased slowly, testing the waters.

"I mean, I wanted to see you here last night." He corrected himself, putting his hands in his jacket pockets.

Sammy stopped to focus; did she hear him right? Why was he waiting for her?

"I didn't come down to the boardwalk…it was a weird night." she paused, and she noticed that he was watching her with introspective eyes and a charming cheshire grin. Taking a moment to distract herself from goggling over him, she continued. "But trust me, I would have much rather been here last night."

There was a light in his eyes, and he was locked on to her. Moving in closer, he bumped her shoulder and ran a hand through his hair. Was he nervous? There was no way.

"You know, my friends and I were waiting in line for Guidachellis earlier, but that line was brutal. They were booked about an hour out by the time we got there, so we bailed. Not even their garlic bread was worth the wait, and you know what? It was one hell of a coincidence that you were in there. We can't keep running into each other like this." He shook his head; he sounded like an idiot.

"I'm rambling." He admitted.

"Don't sweat it." She grinned. Was she making him nervous? Was she nervous? Sammy cocked her head to the side as carefully as she could, checking to see if Lucy was watching. "What are you hanging around here for? Don't you have friends to get back to?" She sloppily grinned, catching his eyes again.

Marko's demeanor had changed with her words, and his shy smile turned into as sly grin. His pupils grew and he leaned down, cupping her cheek. She could feel his breath on her neck and he paused for a moment, but then responded with intention.

"Maybe I wanted to see you tonight instead." He whispered, and Sammy sucked in a breath she had been holding. "Maybe," he hesitated, "Maybe I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

Marko leaned in close once more, and without Sam fully realizing what he was doing, he pecked her on the cheek. She felt pin pricks all the way down into her fingers, goosebumps jumped up and nipped at her skin, and she was frozen to the spot. What did he do to her? Her skin was on fire, and his hot breath on her skin was overwhelming. She grabbed his hand unconsciously when he started to pull back, and in response he squeezed it back in reassurance.

"I don't know what you've done to me." he whispered, the words almost lost to the breeze. "I don't think it's coincidence we keep running into each other." Marko tucked a piece of Sam's hair behind her ear, pulling away ever so slowly. He exhaled, biting his lip slightly, and his eyes fell back to her. Her heart was beating so quickly, and Sam thought this was another one of her dreams. She squeezed his hand again to be sure; it was him. Marko was really there.

"Marko -" she started, and watched as his eyes captured her. Her body was electric, and her other hand drifted towards his shoulder, looking for stability. She didn't know how to explain what she felt, and her brain was muddled; confused with her surroundings. Sam was having trouble focusing on anything else around them; all she could see was Marko. "What's happening?"

He shook his head, a small 'I don't know' falling from his lips, but his eyes were glued to her. Sam's vision was foggy, and she held onto Marko as if to keep her from floating away.

"I'd like to see you." he admitted, pulling an arm around her to keep her close. It was as if he also didn't want her to float away. Taking in his words, Sammy couldn't help but smile back up at him. She was absolutely beaming.

"I'd like that." She agreed. "Here, give me a moment."

Without another word, Sam pulled out of his grasp and walked back around to her car, watching as Lucy raised a brow. Sammy shook her head, holding back a shit eating grin, and looked back to see Marko watching her with hawk eyes; his gaze ever steady. Sammy opened the passenger door and popped open the glove box. After a moment of digging around she pulled out a pen, and one of the napkins from the pizzaria. She scribbled on the napkin, and proud of her work she padded back over to him, leaned in, and handed it over to him.

"I'll call you." He grinned down at her, not even looking at the paper, and kissed the top of her hand in praise. The twinkle in his eyes was confident, and his boyish charm was all too much for Sam to think about.

"It's a date." Sam purred, much to her own surprise. He squeezed her hand again before turning and walking back towards the crowd, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer.

"And hey, Paul is looking for you!" Sam called out, remembering her run in earlier, and Marko shook his head with a smirk.

"I know." He winked, and walked back through the sea of cars. She turned backs towards the car a moment later, covering her blush with her hands. With her hand on the car door, a wisp of air brushed past her out of the blue, and she steadied herself the breeze.

 _Goodnight beautiful._

Sam turned in a hurry to follow the voice, but Marko was gone. There was no one there.


	7. Another Type of Monster

Happy Sunday! With Friday the 13th and the full moon this weekend, it felt like the perfect time to write. Happy monster hunting! -Crimsonsky132

 **Chapter 7**

The drive home was a pleasant one, Lucy sharing a knowing look with Sam, enjoying her daughter's excitement. They put away the leftovers and headed upstairs, finding themselves giggling like school girls on Lucy's bed. For the first time in a long time, Lucy felt that she had something to relate to with her daughter. She was so happy.

"How did you meet him?"

"Max?" Lucy smiled, looking down with a sheepish grin. "Oh, he was so charming. There was this little boy who lost his mom, and he was right in front of the video store. I couldn't just leave him." Lucy smiled, brushing a hand through her hair. She was so happy.

"And Max didn't know how to help, but goodness, how could you find anyone? The boardwalk was so busy." She continued, and Sam nodded absently. The boardwalk sure was busy that night. "Anyways, his mom popped out of the blue and scooped him up right away, and Max gave him a sucker. Poor thing was scared to death."

"It's a good thing you were there." Sam agreed, enjoying her mom's excitement. "Who knows, maybe some divine force pushed you into the shop that night." She enthused.

"I really hope so." Lucy smiled. It had been such a long time since someone took interest in her, and with the divorce and everything she couldn't think about another man that way. The pain was too tangible, and yet, she was over the moon about Max. It felt too good to be true.

Sam couldn't help but be happy for her, and she blushed over her own similar thoughts. She gave a boy her number. She gave Marko her number. Her belly was raging with butterflies, and even if she wanted to tame them she didn't know how. God, he kissed her...well, he practically did.

A knock on the door made both of them turn with anticipation. Gramps poked his head in a moment later, a piece of pizza in one hand, his other hand scratching the back of his head.

"Lucy," he began with a grumble. "It's Lance."

Lucy shot up with a jolt, holding onto the side of the bed to keep her balance. Lance was Michael and Sam's dad, and Lucy's ex husband. How dare he! With all of their talk about Max, she couldn't help but think that things were ruined before they could even begin.

"He's here?" She asked, the color draining from her face. Grandpa shook his head and looked over the Sam.

"No, but he called in before you got back. He wanted to talk about insurance or finances, or something like that." He made a real nasty face. "But I just wanted to hang up. I really wasn't listening."

Sam let out a slight laugh at her grandpa's antics that made Lucy's fear subside, and she shook her head.

"Thanks, dad." Lucy really didn't want her daughter or her dad to get involved- she would have to pick her own battle. "I'll call him back later."

Gramps nodded before heading out, and Lucy turned to her daughter again.

"It's getting late." Lucy started, forcing a smile. "How about we call it a night." Sam nodded, stretching before hopping off Lucy's bed. She didn't want to say anything about her dad, but he made her mom's hair stand on end, and Lucy didn't deserve to be so jumpy. But how could she help? She didn't have an ounce of a relationship with her dad since middle school, and she didn't care to salvage the damage that had been done. Hell, they had to leave the state to get away from him. It was all messy, and Sam was too young and naive to offer any advice.

"Hey mom?" She asked, standing in the doorway. Lucy looked back to her with her head cocked to the side.

"Hmm?"

"I'm here for you." Sam swallowed. "We all are." She concluded with a grin, and Lucy pulled her in for a hug.

As she left Lucy's room she walked past Mike's door. It was opened a crack, but when she popped her head in the room was empty. It was a mess. Shaking her head with a low groan she made her way back to her room. She hadn't thought about Michael all night, and she hoped he was alright. Oh god, she hoped he was all right.

* * *

Sam woke with a jolt, her dreams far less than pleasant. She could remember running, she could remember being surrounded; being terrorized. But for the life of her she couldn't remember the rest of her dream. Why was she so scared?

She made her way downstairs slowly, grumbling a hello to her grandpa before sitting down at the table. Her eyes burned, troubled by her dreams. She wanted so desperately to fall back asleep, but didn't want to risk any other nightmares. Gramps poured two cups of coffee, setting one beside her.

"Hey little lady, why the long face?" Grandpa started, scrunching up his nose. "I mean, your eyes are red. Did you…?" He paused, making a motion of smoking a fake joint between his fingers. She cracked a grin and laughed quietly, swatting his shoulder..

"No Grandpa." Sam confirmed. "Nothing that exciting. Just a bad dream." She answered, rubbing at her temples.

"Then I better put one of those old dream catchers in your room. It'll suck up all the bad ones, just like a vacuum." he decided, looking back to Sammy.

"I'm sure that'll help." She deadpanned.

He proceeded to make a terrible whirring noise to imitate a vacuum cleaner, and Sam grinned from ear to ear. He was great at cheering her up.

* * *

Mike stayed out late. Again. Lucy was growing tired of her son's lack of respect, but how could she reel him in? Part of the time she blamed herself and the divorce on his behavior, but if Sam could deal with it, why couldn't he? She was up early, almost knowing that he wasn't home, and she waited up for him the rest of the night. It's a good thing that she didn't have to work until later on that night. Lucy decided that it was the perfect day for a nap.

"Aren't we friends anymore?" Sam could hear her mom from the kitchen, and not long after Mike trudged in, his clothes were dirty, and he was still wearing his sunglasses. It must have been a rough night. He was usually pretty clean cut, but boy was he rugged. Did he get into a fight?

"Well will you look at that. It looks like I wasn't the only one who got lucky last night, huh?" Grandpa grinned at him, nudging Sam in the shoulder before standing up. He walked out towards the living room without giving either of them time to respond.

"Gross." Sam whispered, her cheeks and ears red with embarrassment. She swiveled in her seat, taking a better look at her brother. Rugged was right - where did he get that leather jacket?

"Hey."

"Hey." He responded but his voice was clipped.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She whispered, not wanting Lucy or their Grandpa to overhear. He shook his head, but motioned for her to follow him. Silently she followed as he made his way up to his room, closing the door behind him. He kicked off his shoes and his jacket, closing his blinds before he took his glasses off. He fell onto the bed unceremoniously, covering his head with his hands.

"Mike, how can I help?" She finally asked, leaning against the door.

"I don't know Sam…" He was at a loss for words. His breathing was heavy. "During the day, I feel terrible. I feel like I'm a zombie. But at night, I completely forget about it. I don't know why I feel this way."

Sam thought for a moment, making her way over to him, crouching down next to the bed.

"I think I might." She tried to explain what the Frog Brothers told her about being a half vampire. She wasn't sure if he was listening or if he dozed off, but she needed him to understand.

"See, I don't think it's too late. I think I can help you, and it will be okay. We just have to find out who the head vampire is. We...we can kill him." She tried to convince herself. "And when we do, you'll go back to normal."

"And you learned this from a comic book?" He asked, his voice heavy with sleep.

"Well, not everything." She shrugged her shoulders. "Please Mike, just listen to me. Do you know who the head vampire is? Do you know who did this to you?"

He was quiet for a moment, blowing out a breath of air.

"Mike?" Sammy asked leaning over the bed, holding her weight on her elbows.

"Oh, you don't know anything. What if you're wrong?" He asked. Sam didn't listen to him, and she needed to help him. She just had to.

"Was it the girl from the boardwalk?" She questioned, but Mike didn't respond. "It was, wasn't it?" He looked away from her. He suddenly wasn't in the mood. He was done talking.

"Sammy, quit it."

"You must be under her spell." Her eyes widened, realizing that all of their problems started when Mike met her.

"Just lay off, Sam. You don't know her. You don't know a damn thing about her." Mike turned, suddenly angry. Sam didn't know what she was talking about.

"And you do? You just met her." She quipped, her mood turning sour. Couldn't he see that he was in big trouble? No girl would be worth that!

"Shut up." He gritted, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Just shut up, Sam."

She yelped in pain as Mike's grip tightened, and her face flushed with fear at his strength. What was happening to him?

"What did she do to you?" Sam whispered, her frustrations dissolving. She wasn't sure that he heard her. "Did she do this to you?" His hold on her was like a vice, and she squirmed with discomfort

"She didn't do anything. Leave Star alone." He breathed out quietly.

"If Star didn't do this to you, then who did?" She was defeated, trying to pull away. His grip on her was tight, and he didn't hear her. His face squished up in angry scowl, and his eyes were closed tight. Was he scared? Did he even care? "Mike, let go."

His breathing was labored, but his grip didn't let up. His nails were digging into her shoulder, and she was very aware of the pain.

"You're a monster, Mike." She gasped, the pain becoming unbearable. "Let go of me." She yelped, jerking away from him.

He collapsed back onto the bed, sleep catching up with him. Why was he so mad? Sammy sniffled, aware of how upset she was. She was crying, and her hand reached up to her shoulder. Boy did it hurt. She hurried out of his room without another glance, rushing to the bathroom. She closed the lid to the toilet and plopped down and her head fell down to be cradled in her hands. The stinging in her shoulder was one thing, losing her brother was a much bigger problem. She needed to talk to the Frog Brothers.

Sam pulled her shirt over her head, and she had three long scratches rounding from her shoulder to her back. She wouldn't be able to go on like this.

* * *

Making her way back downstairs, Sammy heard her mom talking on the phone.

"No. Lance, there's nothing else to say. Just leave us alone." She heard Lucy hang up the phone and her footsteps plodding out of the kitchen. Avoiding making the situation worse, Sam quickly moved to the other side of the house. She was going to hide in Grandpa's taxidermy room. Closing the doors as quietly as she could, she let out a sigh.

"Hey, get your own hiding spot." She jumped, turning to see her gramps working away on a stuffed owl. His glasses were huge, and his eyes were magnified like a cartoon.

"You scared me!" She hissed, but he hummed out a response before he got back to work. "Hey grandpa?" Sam spoke up again, making him turn back to her.

"Yes?"

"Do you believe in monsters?" She asked carefully, reaching up to her shoulder without thinking about it. He took his glasses off carefully, setting them in his lap.

"Oh yes." He agreed. "But Sammy, there are lots of monsters out there. I don't have to think too hard about it, and I think your mom married one."

She turned, taking his words into consideration. "Thanks gramps."

"Why do you ask?" He inquired again, raising a brow.

"Oh, no reason." She replied quickly, flashing him a reassuring smile.

"Be careful out there, kiddo."


	8. Take A Chance On Me

I'd like to think that I can come up with a structured, organized plan for writing and posting updates, but next thing I know it's 1:00 AM...on a Monday morning...and I have to be at work in seven hours.  
But it's okay! I am full of inspiration! Now is the time! It's the perfect time to edit and upload a chapter. (Tomorrow is going to be a mess. My internal clock is going to be pissed.)

On a more serious note, I re-read the reviews for chapter 7 and I am just so happy. I'd love to thank xxLuAshxx, xXx Tinkies xXx, cwsquared,FlowerChild23 , and cafeanna. Thank you for the serotonin boost. -Crimsonsky132

 **Chapter 8**

"If it's the only way, you know what has to be done." Alan sighed, and Edgar groaned at his brother's compassion. "You can't risk him hurting someone else."

There was a long pause, and the tension was palpable.

"If it really came down to it, I can't do it. I won't." Sammy breathed out, running a hand through her hair.

Another pause. The Frogs didn't say anything else to combat her.

"I'm sorry guys, but there has to be something else we can do." Sam implored, her voice breaking. Edgar and Alan were talking about killing Michael. They were talking about _murder_.

"Mike's not in his right mind — that girl, _she's_ got to know something." Sam needed to get her point across. This wasn't Mike's fault.

"No."

"I could ask her-"

"No way!"

"Sam, don't go kamikaze over this." Edgar agreed with his brother. It would be too risky.

"It's a suicide mission." Alan concluded.

"But she could know how to reverse this." Sam's voice was small, but firm. She was running out of ideas, and if everything they said was true, they would be running out of time.

"It's not worth the risk."

Alan was probably right, and she knew that. There's no way someone with half a brain would confront an undead bloodsucker. God, she was cracked. Sammy didn't know what else to do, but she knew she'd have to act quick.

"Okay, fine." She admitted with defeat. "I'll see you later." She concluded, and the brothers grumbled their own goodbye before hanging up.

Sam slumped against the headboard of her bed. She was going to find that girl.

 _Star._

Hopefully she would be able to find her without Mike interfering, or worse, finding others just like her. Sammy plodded down to her mom's room to ask for a ride to the boardwalk, but the door was already cracked and when she pushed it open her heart sank. Lucy was curled up in a ball on her bed, tissues littered around her. She was asleep. It was only about 11 in the morning, but she looked exhausted.

As quietly as she could Sam made her way to the other side of the bed, sitting down gently. Her poor mom was in such a rut, and stirred when she felt the bed dip. She raised her head in a rush but slowed when she saw Sam laying down next to her. Lucy reached for her hand, holding it softly.

She had no control over her dad Lance or Michael, but she could try her best to help her mom.

"Hey." Sam whispered. A sad smile washed over Lucy.

"Hey."

They sat in silence for a little while, and Lucy dozed off now and again before her alarm went off to get ready for work. Sam wasn't going to try and bug her for a ride too soon, so she sat alone with her thoughts.

She thought about her dad for the first time in a while. Lance wasn't always so callous and angry, but the year before the divorce was rough. It felt as if he had his own hidden agenda to keep his family at an arm's length. He was a busy body, a climbing the corporate ladder type. He was a man's man, and long work days rolled over into long nights. Nights spent with...god knows who, with god knows where.

It didn't go unnoticed. Lucy accused him of cheating, but she had no evidence; just a terrible gut feeling. Something was wrong. Sam and Michael didn't know what to think - he didn't confirm it, but he didn't deny it either. He ended up pushing all of them away without any real reason. At one point Lance bought a gun, and Lucy snapped. Enough was enough. She filed for divorce, and threatened a restraining order. She wasn't going to risk her kids' safety. He didn't talk to anyone a whole lot after that.

Lucy woke up to her alarm promptly, cleaning up her mess of tissues before Sam could stop her.

"I don't know what came over me. I'm stronger than this." She said with a tut to try and combat her own emotions.

"I know you are..." Sammy agreed, scratching her head. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Lucy pondered telling her, and sat back down on the bed after a moment. "Your dad wants us to go back to Phoenix."

At her words Sam's brows were drawn together, obvious confusion written all over her face.

"What?"

"That's what I said." Lucy agreed. "But we can't go back."

She wasn't going to go groveling back to her ex husband just because he wanted her too. She was strong; she had to be. He was no longer her best friend or the father of their kids; he was a strange and hollow man that she couldn't understand.

"It makes no sense." Lucy continued, opening her closet. "He doesn't like Santa Carla. He _never_ has. It's almost like he's threatened by this place." She finished.

"That is weird." Sam added quietly, drawing imaginary patterns on the bedspread.

"He made it sound like we would be in grave trouble if we stayed, and I couldn't take any more of it. I told him to leave us alone." Lucy concluded, covering her mouth with her hand. She had over shared, and didn't want Sam to be scared too. Lucy was terrified of Lance, and it had only gotten worse.

Sam looked up slowly, almost dreadfully. Did...did her dad know something they didn't?

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetheart. I didn't mean to go off like that." He mom chirped quickly, pulling Sam away from her train of thought. "I'm just under a lot of stress." Between her new job and Michael's disappearing act, she couldn't take anymore. And then Lance had to call. It was all too much to handle.

"Are you going to be okay?" Sam asked, pushing through a hard swallow.

"Mhm," her mom nodded, turning back to her. "Do you want to come to town with me?" She asked, changing the subject briskly and Sam nodded quickly.

* * *

About a half hour later Sam made her way downstairs in one of her sweaters with a higher neckline, and she was convinced no one would be able to see the scratches along her shoulder that Michael left. She covered them with a thick, sticky ointment to help the residual sting. She was in desperate need to do laundry, but it would have to wait. A sweater was all she had. To help combat the heat she tucked her sweater into a pair of shorts, and hey, it didn't look too shabby for Santa Carla standards. Sam took the stairs two at a time, her comic books in tow.

"Now what's the rush?" Gandpa asked as he stood idle in the living room, scrunching up his nose as she passed. "You like comics all of a sudden?"

Sam flashed him the cover before disappearing around the corner. _Vampires Everywhere._

"I'm a monster hunter, Gramps." She joked with light sarcasm. Grandpa wasn't nearly as enthusiastic. "I've got to be prepared." She jested.

"Monster hunter," she heard him grumble. "Yeah right." He tutted, walking back to his taxidermy room. The doors closed with a slam.

Sam shook her head at his disinterest, looking back to the cover of her comic. "Well, it's better that the TV guide." She grumbled, knowing that her grandpa couldn't hear her.

* * *

They cruised down the main avenue and ABBA was playing softly in the background. Lucy was humming along, and Sam looked out over the water.

 _"We can do some dancing_

 _We can do some walking_

 _As long as we're together"_

"Sammy, what are you going to do this afternoon?" Lucy questioned as they slowed, passing over some train tracks.

"Hmm?" Sam readjusted in her seat. "Oh, I was going to the comic shop." She answered plainly.

 _"Listen to some music_

 _Maybe just talking_

 _Get to know you better"_

"What about that boy from last night? Are you going to see him?" She assumed, turning back to her daughter.

Sam hadn't thought about it, as soon as the idea of seeing Marko popped into her head a terrible fear crept into her stomach. If the Frog Brothers were right, if Star was a vampire, then anyone could be in danger. Marko could be in danger. If she saw him, would she warn him?

 _"Take a chance_

 _Take a chance"_

She silently scoffed. Of course she would see him. It felt like she couldn't stay away from him if she tried.

 _"Take a chance_

 _Take a chance"_

They passed the boardwalk entrance and Sam turned off the music. She couldn't think about what could happen if anyone was hurt because she was poking her nose into such a dangerous thing. She didn't know if she was playing with fire, and unlike ABBA, she didn't like her odds of taking these chances.

Sam walked with Lucy to the video store, and left without ceremony, and then aimlessly walked around for a shred of motivation. She wasn't going to Frog Comics. She needed some direction, or a distraction, or a sign that chasing after Star for answers was the right thing to do. Her stomach dropped at the idea of actually finding her.

A wave of people were ahead of her checking out the gift shops, and Sam noticed a couple of Surf Nazi's blocking the way. She ducked into one of the shops, a small jingling bell notifying the owners that there were customers. She turned around, looking at the dim shop with an unabashed curiosity as she realized that this was more of a directory than a shop. There were posters and maps and newspaper articles littered around, but unlike the comic shop this one was messy and disorganized.

Sam had reached for an old missing person's poster before a piercing voice stole her attention.

"Are you lost?" An older woman, well into the latter years of her life asked. It made Sam jolt upright, her cheeks flashing with embarrassment.

"No," she started, pulling her hand away from the poster. "I was actually hiding." She admitted, looking down before meeting the other woman's eyes.

Instead of being scorn at the lame response, the woman peered out the window to see the growing crowds outside. With a tut she back away, looking back to Sammy.

"There are bad elements around here," She sympathized, "but this is probably not the best place for you to hide. I'm Jeannie Johnson, but everyone knows Ms. J." Sam nodded dumbly, watching the old woman step away from the window to a single desk.

Sammy introduced herself quietly, and Ms. J let her know that she was welcome to stay until the coast was clear.

"What is this place?" She inquired after a couple of minutes. From the old maps and magazines and posters, she didn't think that she had stumbled into any old gift shop. There were no price tags, no customers, no bustle. It looked like an estate sale, but just of the junk that people wouldn't buy no matter how hard they tried. Ms. J looked up from her place with tired eyes and looked at the girl patiently.

"My father was a detective in Monterey about fifty years ago, and he decided to retire here." She spoke plainly. "These pictures and posters are all that remain, and I keep watch over them." It was a glorified storage unit, or at least that's what Ms. J had to say about it.

"But why stay?" Sam couldn't believe that one of these beach side shops was essentially untouched by the boardwalk. It was a museum, not a detective office, and she was what? - watching over these otherwise forgotten papers.

"Why does anyone do anything?" The woman stated as if it were the most obvious thing to say. "I don't think my father's work is done with old town yet. It doesn't feel right to leave. Don't you ever get that kind of a gut feeling?" Ms. J expressed without fear or hesitation.

Sam looked back over a pile of missing person posters. A heat rose up in her cheeks that she couldn't shake, and she grabbed for the top one. _Missing. 1925. Missing 1930. Missing 1927._ There were stacks on stacks of people who had gone missing, the vintage pictures spooking Sam to her very core. Their eyes were hollow, haunted. Maybe she had stumbled upon a treasure trove.

"All unsolved." Ms. J answered before Sammy had the time to ask.

"But -"

"No leads. No evidence. Poof." The woman quieted down.

"Poof." Sam repeated, putting the stack down.

The two were quiet for a moment before the wiser woman stood, walking back towards the door.

"The trail took my father up to Reno, and then back down through Lake Havasu City. And then it just...stopped. The last one I have is from Glendale. That's just outside of -"

"Phoenix." Sam interrupted, her outburst surprising Ms. J. "What happened to your dad?" She asked, bracing herself.

"You already know the answer." The woman wisely pointed out.

 _Missing._ Her father went missing.

Jeannie Johnson did not believe in coincidence. Nor did she believe in beating around the bush.

"I don't think that a young lady such as yourself should concern yourself with these disappearances." Her tone was one of foreboding, a warning, and she put her hand on Sam's shoulder gently. It was almost as if she _knew_. It was as if she knew that there were scratches, hidden from the world.

"You...you know something." Sammy lilted, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. With a shake of her head Ms. J opened the front door.

"I don't know more than anyone else." Lying. She was lying, and Sam knew it. "Please go, I think the coast is clear."

She wordlessly walked out of the shop, looking at the exterior for a sign. There was nothing. It was almost as if the shop itself didn't exist in the mess of the boardwalk. Aside from the yellowed curtains no one would look twice at it.

She couldn't shake it, an overwhelming sense of grief and fear and confirmation flooded through Sam. And that was the worst part - the confirmation of _something_ happening.

The Frog Brothers, however gruff and difficult as they were, were on to something.

* * *

 _"Take a chance_

 _Take a chance"_

Sam found herself humming the song from earlier, and with leftover pocket change she made her way over to a vending machine. ABBA was on to something. She paused quickly, her humming fading, as she saw long curly hair from behind. She swore that it looked just like Marko. The man turned slightly, showing off a lion tattoo down one of his arms. Did Marko have any tattoos? She...she couldn't recall. He had been wearing a jacket when he had seen her. He turned again, facing the crowd with bulky glasses and overgrown sideburns. It wasn't him.

She was almost hoping that it was him.

Sam laughed at herself - she was seeing what she wanted to see. Doubling back to the vending machine, she groaned at the only available option.

* * *

"Sprite?"

"You got us sprite?"

"Do you think we're sissys?"

"Sissys wouldn't drink this shit." Edgar objected, shuffling around like a madman.

"I mean, we appreciate it, but -" Alan started.

"God, I'd rather dehydrate." Edgar grovelled with intensity.

"Be my guest." Sam inclined, opening her can as cooly as she could regardless of the adrenaline pumping through her. She paused for a minute, making sure she grabbed their attention before continuing. "We need a plan. And we need to think of one fast. So open your sissy Sprite, take a seat, and help me, or so help me if one of these vampires kills me I'm going to come back and haunt you myself."

Edgar and Alan shared a surprised if not impressive look before Edgar popped the tab open and raised the can.

"We're gonna be awesome monster bashers."

"The meanest." Alan howled, raising his can and looking back to Sam.

"The baddest." She agreed, cheering their cans with a clink.


End file.
